"No current console title can match RL's gameplay, graphics, and sound!"

No Gamecube title comes close to this game in graphics, sound, gameplay and play control to date! This game is great, the graphics are BEAUTIFUL, the sound is UNBELIEVABLE, the play control is almost PERFECT, and the gameplay is FUN and HARD at the same time.

The graphics in RL are un-matched by any other console game currently out. Take the first level for example, it is the mission where Luke flies over the death star, into the trench and blows it up. The surface of the death star is extremely detailed. There are hundreds of turrets shooting in every direction, lasers flying everywhere, and ties shooting at you and your squad. Another one of my favorite levels, Raid on Bespin, is the level where you go into Cloud City (piloting the cloud car) and need to destroy 3 power generators. The city is beautifully detailed. Buildings look awesome and there are so many of them. Diving from the air, into the city, down into the trench that snakes throughout the city, and destroying a generator looks so cool. The graphics deserve the highest score possible, a 10.

The sound is just as great as the graphics. Even without top of the line stereo equipment, you can still tell where the tie fighters are. If a group of tie fighters come up form behind, you’ll know before they start shooting because you can hear them. When a group of ties fly past you, it actually sounds like they flew by at full speed. The music is authentic Star Wars music and sounds great! The sound gets a BIG 10.

The gameplay in RL is fast and furious, very hard, and fun all at the same time. The controls are laid out perfectly, the largest button (A) is your primary attack, fire lasers. The B button is alternate attack (photon torpedoes). You move the ship around with the joystick, yada yada yada… You can tell that RL was designed around the Gamecube controller. Gameplay gets a big fat….9? Well I cant give everything a 10 ‘ya know! The slight repetitiveness of the missions brings the gameplay score down a point.

The replay value and fun factor are very high in RL. There is lots of replay value because the game is pretty difficult. This is not a “buy, take home, and beat before the end of the week” game. Some of the missions appear impossible at first (Razor Rendezvous, Battle of Endor, and Strike at the Core), but then as you practice they are able to be beaten. After you beat the 10 regular missions (which is not that easy), you might want to earn gold medals on every level so you can unlock the 5 secret missions and the secret ships. RL will keep you coming back for a long time. Replay value/Fun factor receives a 10.

Overall Score: 10/10

Buy or Rent? BUY! I never really like the first Rogue Squadron, but I love this game!

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 12/28/01, Updated 12/28/01